The present invention is directed to control devices for bicycle transmissions and, more particularly, to a bicycle derailleur that includes a derailleur cable router for changing the direction of a derailleur cable.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,334 discloses one type of derailleur cable router for changing the direction of a derailleur cable having a cable housing surrounding at least a portion of the derailleur cable. In the derailleur cable router disclosed in that patent, a pulley is mounted to a frame for rotation around a pulley axis. The frame includes a first leg extending radially from the pulley axis for supporting the cable housing and a second leg extending radially from the pulley axis for supporting a derailleur interface member. The derailleur interface member slidingly and detachably engages a cable feed formed on the base member of the derailleur at the rear of the derailleur so that the cable router can deflect in response to external forces.
Because the derailleur cable router is an add-on part coupled to the rear of the derailleur, the derailleur cable router forms a relatively large appendage which increases the bulk of the derailleur and also creates more surface area that can be subjected to undesirable external forces. Also, since the derailleur cable router is detachably coupled to the derailleur, there is a risk that the derailleur cable router can become dislocated from the derailleur when a sudden force is applied to the pulley or frame. Such dislocation also could occur as a result of rotation of the derailleur during operation of the derailleur.
Thus, it is desirable to make a derailleur cable router that is more compact to minimize the surface area that could be subjected to undesirable external forces. It is also desirable to make a derailleur cable router that can accommodate lateral deflection caused by external forces applied to the cable router as well as deflection caused by rotation of the derailleur during operation of the derailleur, all without dislocating from the derailleur.